Naya Rivera's legacy has a new set of wings.
Almost four years after the Glee star died in a tragic drowning accident, her 8-year-old son Josey and ex-husband Ryan Dorsey have found a meaningful way to honor her on Mother's Day.
"When Josey was little he loved butterflies and going to the butterfly garden at the Natural History Museum in L.A.," Ryan exclusively told E! News. "Last year we released a bunch of butterflies while FaceTiming Grandma in honor of Naya. He released them and said 'Happy Mother's Day in heaven, Mommy!'"
He added of the moment, "It was equally so heart breaking and sweet."
And while Naya's passing is "still so surreal" for the 40-year-old, he and Josey are finding comfort in their butterfly release.
"We plan to do that again this year," he said of the May holiday. "Make it a tradition."
Last year, Ryan—who was married to Naya between 2014 and 2018—documented the sweet moment on social media, sharing images of Josey smiling as he held butterflies up to the sky.
"His spirit is incredible…" Ryan wrote of his son at the time. "Hug 'em if ya got 'em."
Ryan has previously opened up about helping Josey—who was only four at the time of Naya's death—go through life without his mother and the challenges that emerge as Josey grows up.
"A lot of the kids find out what his dad does for work. They'll also find out about his mom, which is always something that's tough to navigate," Ryan told E! News in March 2023. "It's always a reminder of the obvious. Something that's never going to change is what happened and him having to deal with it daily. As he crosses these milestones as a kid growing up, kids talk about their moms at school and dealing with his situation is very unique."
But as Josey has gotten older, his curiosity about his mother and desire to learn about her has only increased—a journey Ryan is happy to guide him along when the time is right.
"He's never going to forget his mom," the Pitch actor noted. "He's interested in watching things and looking at her work one day. That stuff will speak for itself and he'll really get to appreciate the impact she had on people and how talented she was and who his mom was on the outside, not just in his home life."
Keep reading for some of Josey's sweetest moments.
"Fresh outta Pre-K boy!" Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey wrote on Instagram in June 2021. "Next Up Kindergarten! #summertime #proudDad"
Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey has a fun pool day with their son in June 2021.
"We can't say the word happy but we'll say thank you for being a mother & giving me this sweet amazing boy," Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey wrote on Mother's Day 2021, the first since the actress' July 2020 death, alongside this never-before-seen mother-son photo.
"Happy Mother's Day Grammy..." Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey wrote on Instagram on Mother's Day 2021. "Thanks for all the support, unconditional love, all the help, your patience, thoughtfulness, and everything you do. We [red heart emoji] you."
Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey shared this adorable throwback pic of Josey with their two dogs in March 2021.
In January 2021, Ryan Dorsey paid tribute to his ex on what would have been her 34th birthday with this throwback family photo.
"Just as surreal as it is real that you're gone," he wrote. "If that makes sense, but none of this still makes any sense...34..I could just hear you saying "Ah, I'm old AF now!" Ha...Rest easy old lady..."
The two celebrate their first Christmas since Naya's death five months prior.
Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey shared this photo of the late actress and their son, their only child, two weeks after she drowned during a boating trip with the boy.
"This is so unfair...there's not enough words to express the hole left in everyone's hearts," Ryan wrote on Instagram. "I can't believe this is life now. I don't know if I'll ever believe it. You were just here... We were just in the back swimming with Josey the day before. Life just isn't fair."
He continued, "I don't know what to say...I'm thankful for our times and our journey that brought us together and gave us the sweetest and kindest smart little boy we could ever hope for. I remember sometimes you used to get annoyed at me: 'Ryan can you stop snap chatting!' Haha. I'm glad I didn't listen to you because I have hundreds and probably thousands of snaps and videos that Josey will have forever and know his momma loved him more than life, and how much fun we had together as he was growing up. Life is all about good times and bad times but with Josey it makes the bad a little less so because a part of you will always be with us. He'll never forget where he came from. We miss you. We will always love you. Love you Meep."
Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey shared this pic of himself with Josey and one of their dogs, less than three weeks before the actress' death.
Naya's ex Ryan Dorsey shared this family pic on New Year's Day 2020, seven months before the actress' death.
"Practice in WalMart makes perfect," Josey's dad Ryan Dorsey wrote on Instagram in November 2019.
Josey and dad Ryan Dorsey celebrate Halloween with matching Toy Story costumes.
Why so ssssserious? The two also dressed up as the Joker and Batman from The Dark Knight.
Just last week, Rivera shared this photo of her cuddling with her little one. "Just the two of us," she captioned the image.
The mother-son duo made a stylish pair in this March 2020 photo.
"Batman and Batgirl," Rivera wrote in November 2019. "Perfect duo."
"I'll love you forever, I'll like you for always, as long as I'm living, my baby you'll be," the Glee star wrote in September 2019. "Happy birthday Josey! Love Mommy."
The two attended the Los Angeles premiere of The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part in February 2019.
"Camel ridin with my main man!" Rivera wrote in November 2018.
"We win!" the celeb, who played Santana on Glee, wrote alongside a photo of their 2018 costumes. "#HappyHalloween."
The two rocked out to "Can't Stop the Feeling" in this adorable March 2018 video.
"Nap buddies," the proud parent wrote alongside this March 2018 photo.
"[Love] you to the moon and back," Rivera wrote in February 2017. "#Vday."
"[Every day] with him is the most special. #joseysmommy #happymothersday," she wrote in 2016.
Rivera shared a behind-the-scenes photo from their Fit Pregnancy and Baby shoot in April 2016.
"Coolin' at Petco Park," Rivera wrote in March 2016.